A Watcher Always Notices
by Sherlockian89
Summary: What if it was Giles who noticed Buffy's scarf instead of Riley? How would the watcher and the solider take it? AU Set during Buffy vs Dracula Originally written for summer of giles fication at Livejournal. Please read and review.


Title: A Watcher Always Notices

Author: Sherlockian89

Fandom: BTVS

Written for: Summer_of_giles

Summary: What if it was Giles instead of Riley who noticed Buffy's scarf in "Buffy vs Dracula" ? How would he take it?

Paring: Buffy/Giles

Spoilers: Through most of the series. Definately through S. 5.

Author's Notes: In my world Riley isn't as smart as he thinks he is. And Dawn never showed up at the end.

Disclaimer: The characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Fox, The WB and UPN. No copyright infrigement is intended, and I'm not making a dime from this!

Feedback? Yes. Please

Rated: Teen

* * *

Rupert Giles was a man who took pride in his ability to notice the little things about people and about his Slayer in particular. So he had to admit that he found it rather odd to see Buffy wearing a scarf in late May.

The Watcher continued to stare at his slayer until Buffy asked: "Giles is something wrong? I mean is there something on my face or what?"

"No, there's nothing on your face." Giles was quick to reassure his Slayer. "It's just I was wondering is that a new scarf?"

Buffy started to fidget under her Watcher's gaze. "No. It's not." She began to remove the scarf, when Giles said: "Here let me help you."

Buffy gave Giles a sheepish grin. "It's okay, Giles. I can handle it." Still she made no move to continue to take off the scarf. So the Watcher came to her and took the scarf from his Slayer.

Buffy closed her eyes to advoid the look of disappointment and sadness in her Watcber's green eyes

Giles took Buffy's chin and raised her face to meet his eyes. "Buffy, look at me love." Slowly the Slayer raised her head to meet her Watcher's gaze.

"Giles I'm sorry," she began but Buffy was interrupted when there was a knock on the door.

Giles frowned. Who could that be? He thought as he went to answer the door. The Watcher's frown deepened when he saw that it was Riley, his Slayer's boyfriend at his door.

"Hi, Mr. Giles, sorry to bother you this afternoon but I was wondering is Buffy here?" The young man asked.

Giles tried not to show his irritation with Riley, he really did. So he nodded at the boy and said:

"Yes, she here. Come in." He stepped aside to allow Riley to enter the flat.

When Riley entered the livingroom he saw Buffy and smiled. "Hi, Buffy."

"Hey, Riley." Buffy replied, with a small weave.

Riley frowned. "Buffy what's that on your neck?"

Buffy touched her neck self-consciously and sighed. "Dracula bit me." She said softly.

Riley stared at her, shocked then he shook his head. "Why can't I date a normal girl?" He asked.

Giles could not believe what he just heard. Was the boy mad? He cleared his throat. Both Buffy and Riley looked at him.

"Riley I would like a word." The Watcher told the young man. The soldier nodded. Giles smiled.

"We'll be right back," he said to Buffy. She nodded and gave her Watcher a small smile, which he returned. Riley said nothing. Together the two men left the flat and went outside.

* * *

Once they were in the yard Giles guestured for Riley to have a seat. So the soldier sat down on the chair opposite his host and asked:

"Why are we sitting out here, Mr. Giles?"

"Because I need to ask you some rather personal questions and I'd preferred that Buffy not to have heard them, so can you keep this discussion to yourself?"

Riley nodded. "I promise Mister Giles I won't tell Buffy about this. So what do you want to know?"

Giles frowned, unsure as to where he should begin: _Well old man, if you're going to make an ass of yourself, best make it a complete one. _He thought.

"What I want to know Riley is this: Have you noticed Buffy acting strangely when you two are together?" The Watcher asked, hoping that the lad had the sense to pay attention to the little things when it came to Buffy.

Unfortunely, the Watcher found himself to be disappointed when Riley said: " No, Mister Giles I really haven't noticed anything wrong with Buffy." The solider shrugged his shoulders. "Should I have?"

Again, Giles couldn't believe what he was hearing. How could Finn be so blind? He too, hunted demons after all. Surely he would've noticed _something_.

"I am sorry that I couldn't be of more help to you, Mr. Giles," Riley told the older man. The soldier glanced at his watch and said: "I should say goodbye to Buffy and again, I am sorry that I didn't notice anything wrong with her earlier."

Giles sighed. "Thank you Riley. I appreciate your honesty." He glanced at his watch. "Perhaps we should go back inside, before Buffy starts to worry."

Riley nodded. "Sounds like a good idea. We wouldn't want Buffy to think that we killed each other, right?"

"Right!" The Watcher quickly agreed. He stood up and said: "After you Mr. Finn."

The soldier nodded and the two men went back into the flat without another word. When they re-entered the apartment the first thing Giles noticed was Buffy lying on the couch, a bandaid opn her neck where her scarf used to be. She appeared to be asleep.

Riley as about to wake her; when Giles pulled him back. "I don't think you should wake her." He said calmly. Rley looked at Buffy then nodded, remembering the one time he startled the Slayer and got a right cross for his troubles.

"Yeah, you're right Mr. Giles. Look I have to go. Could you tell Buffy that I'll call her later?" The young man asked the Watcher. Giles nodded.

"Yes. Certainly I will." The Watcher assured the soldier. Riley smiled, then left.

* * *

As soon as the soldier left Giles gently closed the door and went to sit next to his Slayer and waited for her to wake up.

Ten minutes had passed when Buffy awoke and began to stretch her sore back. She yawned. "Hey Giles. How long was I asleep?" Buffy sat up and asked. "Where's Riley?"

"He just left." Giles replied. "He wanted me to tell you that he'll call you later."

"It's probably better I'd call him," Buffy said with shrug, then winced as the bandage pulled against her skin. "Ouch."

"Here let me help you change that," Giles offered as he helped his Slayer to stand.

"Giles, really. I can manage." Buffy told her Watcher.

Giles gave her a Ripperish stare as he said: "Buffy dear, do shut up."

Buffy was speechless, stunned by the look her Watcher gave her. For a second she worried that there was still some cursed band candy lying somewhere in the flat. But when she looked into her Watcher's eyes, all she saw was his compassion.

And that gave her the courage to him the question that's been foremost on her mind ever since she walked into his home earlier that afternoon.

"Giles, I hate to ask this, but I have to know; would you have noticed if I left your bed?" She asked.

Giles took a deep calming breath before he replied: "Yes, I most certainly would have noticed if you left my side Buffy."

That surprised Buffy, so much so that she blurted out: "Why? Is because of the Slayer/Watcher thing or something?"

Giles chuckled at her 'or something,' then replied honestly. "It's partly a Slayer/Watcher thing, that's true enough, but it's mostly because you're Buffy. Now come on, it's off to the hospital with you." Giles told the Slayer, Buffy scowled at him.

"Giles is that really necessary?" Buffy asked. "I feel fine."

Giles tiredly pinched his nose. There were many things he admired about Buffy, but right now her stubborn streak was not one of them. "Buffy please, you've been bitten and right now you need a transfusion. Don't worry I'll be with you the whole time."

"You promise?" Buffy asked, nerviously.

Giles took Buffy's face in his hands and whispered: "I promise."

Buffy smiled. "Thank you Giles, for noticing and well for everything,"

Giles smiled back. "You're welcome Buffy, let's go shall we?"

And as he led Buffy away, Rupert Giles made a vow to always notice his Slayer no matter what.

The End.


End file.
